3.2.5.1 Resource development Flashcards

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1
Q

Define natural resource (2)

A

all the original resources of the earth that’s used by people
and the range of natural services provided by these resources that support life and economic activity

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2
Q

define stock resources (2)

A

finite and non-renewable

they have taken millions of years to form and cannot be replenished over human timescales

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3
Q

define stock resources (1)

A

can be continuously replenished within human timescales, making them resources

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4
Q

define critical flow resources (1)

A

can be continuously replenished within human timescales, making them resources

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5
Q

examples of stock resources

A

fossil fuels,
copper
gold
uranium

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6
Q

examples of flow resources

A

solar energy
tidal energy
wind

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7
Q

examples of critical resources

A

north sea cod
trees
water
soil

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8
Q

define resource (stock resource evaluation (3)

A

includes all deposits of mineral resources which may be viable to extract in the future with:

-technical advances
-increase in demand for the mineral

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9
Q

define reserve (stock resource evaluation) (3)

A

deposits of minerals which can be extracted now, due to:

-being economically viable (high enough demand for profit)
-sufficient available tech
-legal entitlement to enable extraction

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10
Q

what factors determine the availability of resources and classification of resources and reserves?

A
  • physical availability (pattern/quantities around the world)

-economic viability (worthwhile to extract resource? price)

-political/legal access (permission to extract?)

-environmental/sustainability concern (extraction without causing environmental damage?)

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11
Q

what factors determine the availability of resources and classification of resources and reserves? (arctic example) check

A

physical:
-minerals/resource unavailable under
ice sheet
-remote to transport
-climate challenges

economic:
-expensive to transport & extract because of remoteness/ physical conditions

political access:
-global commons, cant extract
-Antarctic Treaty
-Madrid protocol; bans mining until 2048

environmental:
-not env sustainable, fragile environment/ecosystem

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12
Q

Define measured reserve

A

-well established reserve and measured with confidence.

-sufficient tests allow grade consistency to be established

-90% or greater that minerals of high quality can be extracted

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13
Q

define indicated reserve

A

-extensive sampling provides reasonable confidence that reserve is exploitable

-sufficient testing means grade quality can be reasonably assumed

-50% chance of mineralisation

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14
Q

define inferred resources

A

-estimated based on limited sampling into the geology.

-insufficient data to justify expenditure on planning an exploitation sequence
(limited info and sampling)

-10% or greater that minerals exist and can be extracted

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15
Q

define possible reserves

A

-indicative in situ info (og info), but without sampling

-insufficient reliable data to justify exploration

-quantified deposit viability information, no sampling confidence

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16
Q

Describe the McKelvey Box Diagram
and state its purpose

A

classifying resources by their degree of geological assurance and economic recover-ability

17
Q

Describe the McKelvey Box Diagram
and state its purpose

A

classifying resources by their degree of geological assurance and economic recover-ability

18
Q

What are the key factors influencing whether a mineral resource will be exploited?

A

-mineral content of rock
(low grade deposits produce high waste,
high grade ore will be worked in most isolated locations/ difficult environments)

-geological conditions
(minerals found at shallow depths easier/cheaper to extract)
(e.g. Malaysia extracting tin from alluvial plains use water jets/ Cornwall unviable hard granite mass)

-accessibility in relation to markets
(low value mineral-> influenced by transport costs-> importance of bulk carrier ships

gold -> transport cost unimportant, high value/ low bulk)

  • geopolitical risks: how concentrated resource is, stability of producing region (war/conflict)
19
Q

Outline the process of natural resource development

A
  • exploration of potential site
    (use satellite imagery, geophysical surveys, gather field data before assessing grade of reserve)

-evaluation and environmental assessment
(fully evaluated, determine economic viability in current market and cost of production, developed nations further environmental impact assessment required before extraction)

-construction of site
(once extraction licences awarded, necessary infrastructure needs to be built to access resource, start operations

e.g. road building, laying pipelines, improve port facilities)

  • operation, extraction of resource
    (reserve exploited until all viable reserves recovered
    lifespan of operation varies, depends on type/quantity of resource,
    ongoing exploration programmes in adjacent areas may extend life of operation)
  • closure of site
    (may not mean reserve has been completely exhausted,
    residual stock may be uneconomical to recover,
    valuable resources, oil, secondary/tertiary recovery operations occur, e.g. using pressurised steam to force oil to surface)
  • reclamation & monitoring
    (developed nations, strict environmental laws,
    operating organisation responsible for repairing any env damage from resource development)
20
Q

define resource frontier

A

an area in the periphery, where resources are discovered and brought into production for the first time

21
Q

what are the characteristics of a resource frontier?

A

-periphery environments

-natural environments with little human development

-extreme environments, technological challenges

-may be within international territory

22
Q

what impact does resource peak have on
a) exploiting companies
b) general public
c) environment

A

a) prompt them to start other exploration missions, invest in better tech

b) rise in certain product price use/consume, since product has reached a max production

c) local- extraction area will see degradation in landscape due to excavation/transportation

global- rise in global warming from fossil fuel emissions

23
Q

describe the hubbert curve

A
24
Q

what factors effect when a peak production occurs?

A

availability/ discovery of reserves

development of new tech (US crude oil)

demand for the resource (rise or fall, due to research finding new uses)

grade of available resources

25
Q

how accurate are Hubbert curves?

A

accurately predicted conventional oil production from lower 48 mainland states of USA would:
-peak between 1965- 1970
-then enter decline

but underestimated
- advances in tech,
- efficiency gains,
- effects of increasing oil prices enabled development/production of previously uneconomic oil reserves

26
Q

define resource peak

A

This marks the point in time when the maximum production rate of a resource occurs (at all scales from individual reserves to global) with production declining in subsequent years.

27
Q

what is Sustainable development

A

This requires a controlled system of resource management to ensure that the current level of exploitation does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

28
Q

EIAs

A

Aims to anticipate the likely impacts of a resource extraction project on surface and ground water, soil, biota and humans

    • then modify the project to try and minimise the impacts
  • modify project to minimise negative impacts - may be a legal requirement dependent on country
29
Q

Non critical resources

A

Geothermal , wind , Solar

30
Q

What is resource security

A

National or global ability of a country to safeguard a reliable sustainable flow of resources to maintain the living standards of its population while ensuring ongoing economic and social development

31
Q

EIAs resource development projects example (zambia)

A
  • Zambia is the second largest producer of copper
  • An EIA was prepared to access environmental impacts of the Lumwana Copper Project providing social and economic gains to poorer regions of less developed countries like Zambia
  • environmental impacts:
  • seepage through base of waste rock dumps could impact groundwater quality
  • contamination of surface water from spillage
  • road traffic will increase creating noise pollution
  • economic and social costs:
  • radiation levels comply with Zambian standards
  • proactive approach through education and awareness raising will be used in local population
  • upgrading the highway and pedestrian area